Ulster Unionist MLA, Roy Beggs, has congratulated the National Crime Agency and the Paramilitary Crime Taskforce in utilising the Proceeds of Crime Act to seize a house in the Castlemara area of Carrickfergus, which it was claimed had been acquired by mortgage fraud, tax evasion and money laundering. The couple who had own the house were initially contesting the seizure in a court case but then agreed to the house being seized, without pursuing their challenge in court.
Roy Beggs MLA said:
“Officers from the PSNI, the National Crime Agency and HM Revenue & Customs came together to form the Paramilitary Crime Taskforce in 2017 which is designed to protect communities by tackling all forms of criminality linked to paramilitarism. I welcome the seizure of assets utilising the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and this should act as a deterrent to others involved in organised crime in the area. The National Crime Agency have a wide range of specialist law enforcement officers available to pursue the assets of criminal gangs, no matter how well they think they are hidden. The Paramilitary Crime Taskforce aims to end coercive control of communities by organised crime gangs and this successful case shows that they mean business locally and reinforces the message that crime does not pay.”